Seafarer Connect’s half-century: 50 Wi-Fi units for free seafarer internet

MARITIME welfare program Seafarer Connect has notched up a valuable half-century in the shipping industry with the accumulation of 50 Wi-Fi units, allowing seafarers free internet access while their ships are berthed in Australian ports.

An initiative of the not-for-profit Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation, Seafarer Connect helps seafarers get online by providing ports with rigid cases, each containing a 5G router and Wi-Fi connector linking to the Telstra network.

Working closely with standard maritime operating procedures, the case is delivered onboard visiting ships by the stevedore’s health and safety officer during arrival inspections. The unit remains onboard for the duration of the visit and is returned to the port — usually on the port bus — just before the ship sails.

This allows seafarers to connect with family and friends, do online banking or access tele-health services using free internet while they are in port, something not necessarily possible — at any cost — while at sea.

To provide the service, Seafarer Connect partnered with Australian telecommunications company Claratti to deliver the CrewMate Lite Wi-Fi unit, designed specifically for the maritime industry. The unit is lightweight, durable, and powerful enough to provide connectivity through steel bulkheads. Each device support multiple users at once and is provided to crews on visiting vessels at no cost.

Launched in NSW just before the Covid-19 pandemic, ports including Newcastle, Sydney, and Port Botany now have around 20 Wi-Fi units delivered and retrieved by port authority and stevedoring staff. Seafarer Connect has expanded into all mainland states, building a network of digital access for visiting crews.

Seafarer Connect project manager Robert Coombs acknowledged the contributions of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, NSW Ports, Port of Newcastle Seafarer Welfare Fund, Flinders Ports, Melbourne Seafarers Centre and the Victorian Government in making the Wi-Fi service a reality. Mission to Seafarers in Gladstone and Geraldton have also been valuable partners in extending the program, with Geraldton marking the 50th unit installed nationwide.

“Their support has played a crucial role in helping the program expand into new ports,” Mr Coombs said. “Their commitment shows that seafarer welfare is being recognised as an essential part of Australia’s maritime industry.”

With the Seafarer Happiness Index falling in September, the work of Seafarer Connect in improving communication and welfare for the thousands of international seafarers who visit Australian ports every year has never been more urgent.

For many seafarers, access to reliable internet is not a luxury but a basic human need. Too often, seafarers report being denied adequate access to communication facilities. Wi-Fi access on board is frequently limited, expensive, or reserved for operational use only.

“Reaching 50 Wi-Fi units is a huge achievement, but it also reminds us that there is more work to do,” Robert Coombs said. “Seafarers tell us that Wi-Fi access remains unreliable, patchy, or restricted. Our goal is to make digital connectivity possible and affordable for every seafarer visiting an Australian port.”

This makes Seafarer Connect’s target for Wi-Fi units the number of active international berths at Australian ports — around 70.

This milestone comes as the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) continues its global campaign to combat modern slavery and exploitation aboard international ships. Many crews arriving in Australian ports face harsh working conditions, unpaid wages or contract breaches. Reliable connectivity allows seafarers to contact unions, welfare agencies and their families, reducing their vulnerability to abuse and isolation.

Named for legendary former Waterside Workers Federation general secretary Tasnor “Tas” Bull, the Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation, which operates the Seafarer Connect project, is committed to ensuring every Australian port can offer Wi-Fi access to visiting crews.

“We invite all ports and terminals that do not yet have a Wi-Fi program to get in touch,” Mr Coombs said. “Together, we can make sure every seafarer who comes to Australia can connect with their loved ones and with the wider world.”

The full cost to build and deploy each Wi-Fi device over three years is $16,750. Maritime stakeholders interested in contributing to the Wi-Fi service should contact Seafarer Connect.